Desk.



PATENTED JULY 12, 1904.

E. 0. VALENTINE.

DESK.

APPLIOATION FILED we. 4. 1903.

2 SHBETS-BEEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

2 Q L F C. laZezrZdm PATENTED JULY 12, 1904 F. C. VALENTINE.

DESK.

APPLICATION ILED AUG. 4. 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented July 12, 1904.

FERDINAND CHARLES VALENTINE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

DESK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 764,832, dated July 12, 1904.

Application filed August 4, 1903.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FERDINAND CHARLEs VALENTINE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Manhattan, city of New York, county and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Desks, of which the following is a specification.

Hy invention relates to improvements in desks; and it possesses the characteristics of a flat-top desk wherein a number of compartments are covered or exposed at will by the manipulation of one of a plurality of covers.

The object of the invention is to provide a desk whose top is composed of a plurality of covers which are normally closed to provide a flat surface across its entire Width, but which may by displacing one of the sections and moving the others laterally be converted into a desk having only a partial flat surface and expose one or a series of compartments containing writing material, papers, 860.

A further object of the invention is to provide a flat-top desk having a plurality of covers which when closed and locked locks the desk-drawers and when opened to expose the compartment under it unlocks all of said drawers.

The result of the above-named objects produces a neat and compact desk,which owing to the convenient arrangement of the compartments and their respective covers limits the liability of littering and mixing of papers, 620.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of my improved desk, showing the tilting cover in a vertical position in its pocket to expose the center compartment and allow of the movement of the other covers. Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the desk, showing the two laterally movable covers moved toward the center to expose the end compartments. Fig. 3 is a perspective view looking from the rear. Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the linem m, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 isa detail transverse section on the line y y,Fig. 4, but showing the hinged door in its pocket.

The same numerals refer to like parts in all the figures.

1 represents a frame.

At its upper end is Serial No. 168.160. (N0 model.)

a horizontal partition 2, which forms the bottom of a plurality of compartments 3 4 5, the frame being mounted on suitable supports 6. Guides 7 are fixed to the supports, and on these guides drawers 8 are adapted to slide. Fastened to the rear of each drawer is an eye 9,and adjacent the eyes 1s a vertically-mounted latch-bar 10, bearing a series of hooks 11, one hook for each eye. An actuating-lever 12 is pivoted to the frame 1 at 13 and is pivotally connected at one end to the latch-bar 10, While its opposite or free end lies in the path of a hinged cover 14.

Along two of the upper edges of the frame 1 are grooves 15, in which slide horizontallymovable covers 16 and 17. Each cover is provided with lugs 18, which fit and slide in the grooves 15, the normal position of the covers being over the compartments 3 and 5. lVhen the covers 16 and 17 are so positioned, the cover 14 can be rocked to a vertical position and dropped into a pocket 19, formed between the back 20 of the frame 1 and a strip 21. The cover 14, like the others, 16 and 17, is flat, and it is provided at its rear edges with pins or antifriction-rollers 14 to facilitate its being guided when exposing the compartment 4. Grooves 22 are arranged in the edge walls of the pocket 19, which accommodate the pins 14 to lmaintain the vertical alinement of the cover while it is being operated. The inner rear edges of the covers 16 and 17 are shouldered at 25 to limit the upward movement of the cover 14, and thus prevent its being pulled out of the pocket. A vertical extension 26 on the partition 3 forms a mouth for the pocket, and cleats 27 and 28 on the partitions 29 of the compartments and the front of the frame 1 form rests or abutments for the cover 14 when the desk is closed. On this cover is a hasp 30, which engages the lock 31. The cover 14 rests on the cleats 27 and 28, and as cleats 27 are located to one side of the center the cover upon being unlocked will have a tendency-to drop by gravity into its pocket, which greatly facilitates the uncovering of the center compartment.

In operation, assuming the parts to be as illustrated in Fig. 3, wherein the covers are shown to form a flat-top desk and the drawers are locked, to uncover a compartment cover 1 1 is unlocked and then tilted upwardly on its pins 14* until it can be directed into themouth of the pocket, whereupon said cover drops by gravity down into the pocket. This action tilts the lever 12 and lifts the latch-bar and unlocks all the drawers, any one of which may now be withdrawn. Cover 14 now being out of the way, covers 16 and 17 may be moved toward and over the compartment 4:, which exposes the compartments 3 and 5, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. In the compartment 5 are ways 35, on which slide a receptacle 36 for ink or the like. When the covers 16 and 17 are thus positioned, ample surface is provided for writing purposes, while the penmans papers, &c., are conveniently at hand in the several compartments, and if anything is to be taken from the center compartment the covers 16 and 17 may be simultaneously moved toward the end of the desk. I

I desire it to be understood that the various details may be modified without departing from the spirit of my invention. For instance, the drawers may be dispensed with and the desk-top may be inclined.

What I claim as new is 1. In combination, a desk-frame, a top on said frame which is composed of a plurality of sections, ways formed in the frame, one or more of the cover-sections working laterally in the ways, and one of the cover-sections having means for fixing it in position and against which the other sections abut, the said sections forming the desk-top, substantially as described.

2. In combination, a desk-frame, a top on said frame which is composed of a plurality of sections, ways formed in the frame, one or more of the cover-sections working laterally in the Ways, one of the cover-sections having a lock for locking it in position and against which the other sections abut, the said sections forming the desk-top, and a pocket formed to receive the section carrying the lock when said section is thrown out of the plane of the other sections, substantially as described.

3. In combination, a desk-frame, a series of drawers, means for simultaneously locking said drawers, a top on said frame which is composed of a plurality of sections, ways formed in the frame in which one or more of the sections may have lateral movement, one of the sections being mounted to be thrown out of the plane of the other sections, and a pocket formed to receive the said section when it is thrown out of the plane of, the other sections, the said section operating to release the drawers when it is in its pocket, substantially as described.

4:. In combination, a desk-frame, compartments in the frame, a top on said frame which sections work, a hinge connection between the hinged section and the frame, and a pocket formed to receive the hinged section after it has been turned on its hinges, the laterallymovable sections adapted to be worked in their ways when the hinged section is in its pocket to expose selected compartments, substantially as described.

5. In combination, a desk-frame, drawers in the frame, a locking means for simultaneously locking the drawers, compartments in the frame, a desk-top formed of two laterallymovable sections and a hinged section, and a pocket formed to receive the hinged section after it has been rocked on its hinge, the drawer-lock being operated to release the drawers when the hinged section is dropped into its pocket, substantially as described.

6. In combination, a desk-frame, compartments formed in the frame, covers for the compartments which are adapted to be arranged in a plane to form the top of the desk, grooves formed in the frame, the covers of two of the compartments sliding in the grooves, the cover of the remaining compartment being hinged, a pocket formed to receive the latter cover after it has been rocked on its hinge, a series of drawers, and means operated by the cover which enters the pocket to lock and unlock the drawers, substantially as described.

7. In combination, a desk-frame provided with a series of compartments formed in the frame, covers for the compartments, grooves formed in the frame to receive one or more of the covers, one of the covers being hinged, a lock in the frame, means on the hinged cover which cooperates with the look, a pocket to receive the hinged cover after the latter has been rocked on its hinges, a series of drawers in the frame, a locking mechanism cooperating with the drawers, and a lever connected to the locking mechanism and arranged in the pocket in the path of the hinged cover, substantially as described.

8. In combination, a desk-frame, a series of compartments formed in the frame, grooves formed in the frame, covers over the end compartments, said covers fitting in the grooves, a hinged cover for the intermediate compartment, a pocket formed to receive said hinged cover after it has been rocked on its hinges, and grooves formed in the walls of the pocket to receive the hinges after the cover has been rocked, substantially as described.

9. In combination, a desk-frame having grooves near its upper edges, compartments in the frame, covers over the compartments, one or more covers sliding in the grooves, one of the covers being hinged, a pocket to receive the hinged cover, supports arranged to receive the hinged cover when it is in alinement with.

the sliding covers, said supports being located In testimony whereof I have signed my name nearer the free end of the cover than the to this specification,this 27th day of July, 1908, L hinged end to cause the said cover to drop in in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. IO

its pocket by gravity, and means for locking FERDINAND CHARLES VALENTINE. 5 the hinged cover to the frame to form With l/Vitnesses:

the sliding covers a flat-top desk, substantially TERRY M. TOWNSEND,

as described. L. H. PENDERGRAST. 

